Iron Chef debate

High Cheese

Saucier
While watching Next IC last night, Symon brought up a good debate: Which is more important, how the person flavors a dish or how they execute it? Of the two last contenders, one showed they have great skills with flavors but lacked execution (over cooked, under cooked, etc.)and the other had great talent with execution but lacked a little with testing new flavors.

I went back and fourth with different scenarios to come up with a conclusion, but stayed on the fence. Personally, I'm leaning a teeny tiny bit more towards execution since developing flavors can come gradually, and if your competing on IC you should already know when your fish is done.

What say you?
 

Fisher's Mom

Mother Superior
Super Site Supporter
Oh, this is an interesting question, Cheese! On the one hand, you can be a master at preparing, cooking, and timing all the elements of a meal, but it can still be lackluster without the right seasoning or imaginative and thoughtful combinations of flavors. On the other hand, even the most brilliant dish with flavors that make your mouth sing will fall flat if it isn't properly prepared.

I think I'm leaning toward execution, too. I tend to think if the foundation isn't solid - it's a bad idea to build on it.
 

Lefty

Yank
I think both go hand in hand and are part of the whole getting to design dishes. Getting to know the meat/fish... is a starting place you must have practical knoweldge of so you will know the preperation process. The second part is how to flavor it so you will develope the looked for results.

I guess I would say knowing the cut is more important a starting place and seasoning flavoring would be learned over longer periods of study.

Then again I am no iron chef. I just love to cook. Am I making any sence?

:whistling:
 
While watching Next IC last night, Symon brought up a good debate: Which is more important, how the person flavors a dish or how they execute it? Of the two last contenders, one showed they have great skills with flavors but lacked execution (over cooked, under cooked, etc.)and the other had great talent with execution but lacked a little with testing new flavors.

I went back and fourth with different scenarios to come up with a conclusion, but stayed on the fence. Personally, I'm leaning a teeny tiny bit more towards execution since developing flavors can come gradually, and if your competing on IC you should already know when your fish is done.

What say you?

Interesting question. IMO, both are equally important to make a dish work. The dish should create a little symphony in your mouth, and have eye appeal. If the food (execution) is overcooked or undercooked, it is inedible. The flavors can be creative, but it doesn't work for me if it is too spicy, sweet, salty or bland. One chef's dishes looked like a botanical garden. A little ambitious, but I think he might win.

Umami Baby! lol
 
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High Cheese

Saucier
Here's a theory:

A steak.

1) You get an awesomely seasoned, marinated, whatever steak but it has the texture of shoe leather OR is purple rare.

2) A perfectly cooked steak.

I would lean towards the perfectly cooked steak since steak itself has it's own natural flavor. I think that in itself would out weigh the over/under cooked one.
 

Miniman

Mini man - maxi food
Gold Site Supporter
To me, flavour is part of and a consequence of the execution. I would probably go for execution first - the food has got to be cooked properly without that the seasoning will not work as it should.
 

Miniman

Mini man - maxi food
Gold Site Supporter
Here's a theory:

A steak.

1) You get an awesomely seasoned, marinated, whatever steak but it has the texture of shoe leather OR is purple rare.

2) A perfectly cooked steak.

I would lean towards the perfectly cooked steak since steak itself has it's own natural flavor. I think that in itself would out weigh the over/under cooked one.

Absolutely at one with you on this.
 

High Cheese

Saucier
.........still thinking....


Basically, you have to decide what's more important: Flavor or texture. Since texture pretty much relies on temps.
 

joec

New member
Gold Site Supporter
I really think both equally important as no matter how prefect it is cooked if the seasoning isn't right then it doesn't work. The same is true if it is over or under cooked all the seasoning in the world my not save the dish. Besides tasting ones food before serving it should be standard procedure for any one cooking pro or home.
 

Miniman

Mini man - maxi food
Gold Site Supporter
Surely the person is not a top chef unless they have both, maybe there shouldn't be a winner.
 

chowhound

New member
Execution. If something isn't properly cooked, I'm not really going to care how it is flavored. It seems to me the most basic part of cooking is to make sure it is prepared properly.
 

Lefty

Yank
Execution. If something isn't properly cooked, I'm not really going to care how it is flavored. It seems to me the most basic part of cooking is to make sure it is prepared properly.

Thats what I thought I said. :bonk: I just used too many words.
 

Miniman

Mini man - maxi food
Gold Site Supporter
Well, Chow is a man of few words, so he can say it much better. Me I just waffle.
 

chowhound

New member
Mine is "slightly" different.

I don't think anything is hand in hand or part one/part the other. Sure, like said, to be an IC you should be able to do both, and then there's the whole presentation thing, but if you lack execution; In Jeeks example over or undercooked fish, are you even going to get far enough along to be able to worry about the flavors? If I was a judge I'd throw the dish out.

I don't care how many awards your chicken wing sauce has won, if the wing is rubber and drips blood, you get an F. To draw an analogy...
 

Maverick2272

Stewed Monkey
Super Site Supporter
I would lean towards execution as well. That at least provides a sound foundation to build on. I think about teaching my kids how to cook, and think I would teach them the how to before getting into experimenting with flavors and such.
 
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